Toilet seat and lid assembly



Jan. 29, 1963 E. ROCKEI'Q TOILET SEAT AND LID ASSEMBLY Filed March 25, 1960 INVENTOR. ELMER ROCKER ATTORNEYS iinited rates assent vJ 3,075,204- TGILET SEAT AND Lil) ASSEMBLY Elmer Rocker, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to The J. E. (Ioggins Manufacturing Company, Meriden, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 17,636 Claims. (Cl. 4-236) assembled once the knuckles of the hinge assembly were secured to the lid and seat respectively. Moreover, lateral adjustment of the hinge posts or studs by which the assembly is attached to the commode could not be obtained. Accordingly, any variation in the distance between the openings in the top flange of the commode for the hinge posts or studs could not readily be accommodated. As the result of this inflexibility, such hinge assemblies could not readily be disassembled for shipping purposes since the lid, seat and hinge assembly are generally shipped in their assembled condition.

it is accordingly a principal object of my invention to provide a toilet seat and lid hinge assembly in which the hinge posts or studs can readily be disassemble-d for shipping purposes.

it is yet another object of my invention to provide a toilet seat and lid assembly having relatively few easily manufactured and assembled parts.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a toilet seat and lid hinge assembly which will provide additional support for the rear of the seat thus relieving strain and shearing stress on the back of such seat.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a toilet seat and lid assembly which may readily and quickly be fastened to the commode by using only lock nuts which will uniformly engage any irregularities in the contacted surface of the commode.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments or" the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles or" the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a commode with my toilet seat and lid assembly mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the details of the hinge post or stud;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the seat knuckle;

FIG. 5 is side elevational view of such seat knuckle;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the lid knuckle;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of my special lock nut employed with my hinge assembly; and

FIG. 8 is "a sectional view of such lock nut taken substantially on the line 8-43 of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that my toilet seat and lid assembly is adapted to be mounted on a conventional commode '1 which may be attached to the floor 2 by means of bolts 3. Such commode has a top flange 4 to which my toilet seat and lid assembly is attached. The top flange -4 is provided at the rear thereof as shownmore clearly in FIG. 2 with two vertically extending openings 5 and 'through which the studs of my seat and lid assembly pass firmly to be secured therein thus to secure the assembly properly to the commode. The construction of the commode having the two apertures 5 and 6 therein for the reception of the seat and lid assembly is quite conventional, the commode being made usually of a porcelainized material.

My seat and lid assembly will now be seen to comprise the following parts. A conventional seat 7 and lid 8 made of a non-metallic material as, for example, compressed sawdust 'are secured pivotally together by my hinge assembly shown generally at 9. Such hinge assembly include two seat knuckles 1t) and 11 and two lid knuckles 12 and 13 mounted on hinge bar 14- having an enlarged center portion 15 providing spaced shoulders 16 and 17. The arrangement and spacing of the seat and lid knuckles may be seen more clearly in FIG. 2. Thus the hinge bar 14 has two reduced diameter end portions '18 and 19 about which the knuckles pivot for'th'e seat and lid. As shown in FIG. 1, the leaves of the seat and lid knuckles may be secured directly to the seat and lid by conventional screws 20 and 21 respectively. Accordingly, the seat knuckles 1t) and 11 are first assembled over the reduced diameter ends of the hinge bar and then the knuckles 12 and 13 for the lid are assembled on the hinge bar and, once assembled, such knuckles are secured to the seat and lid respectively by the fastening means shown in FIG. 1. It will be understood that once the seat and lid knucklm are secured to the seat and lid respectively, the knuckles cannot axially be adjusted on the hinge bar 14, nor can the hinge bar be removed due to the shoulders l6 and 17.

After the seat and lid knuckles have been assembled on the hinge bar, I mount on the outer opposite ends of the hinge bar my hinge posts 22 and 23. Such posts are identical in form as are each of the seat and lid knuckles respectively employed with my assembly. Such hinge posts provide studs 24 and 25 respectively passing through the openings 5 and 6 in the rear of the top flange 4 of the commode whereby the entire seat and lid assembly may firmly and quickly be mounted on and attached to the commode. 'I'employ a special lock nut 26 shown in more detail in FIGS. 7 and 8 firmly to secure such assembly to the commode.

It is noted that all of the component parts of my seat and lid assembly, even including the seat and lid, may be molded-from a suitable plastic material. As an example of the plastic that may be used to mold the components of my assembly, 'any of the following compounds may be employed: dl-allyl phthalate, melamine-formaldehyde, phenol-formaldehyde, polyacrylic esters, polyesters, ureaformaldehyde, epoxy resins, glycerol phthalates or phenolic resins. Also, any of the well-known nylon, polyethyle'ne, acetate, polystyrene or vinyl resins may be used. keferring -nowmoreparticularly toEIG. 3, it-will be seen that the hinge post 22 is provided with a knuckle 27 having a through-bore 28 therein of a diameter slightly larger than the reduced diameter ends of the hinge bar 14. Thus the hinge posts are readily axially adjustable along the hinge bar to accommodate commodes having the holes 5 and 6 therein spaced at varying distances. Moreover, the provision of the throughbore facilitates the disassembly of the hinge posts from the complete lid and seat assembly to provide an easier and smaller shipping package. In a conventional seat and lid assembly, the hinge posts cannot readily be removed without disassemblying the entire assembly and the package required for shipping such an assembly will of necessity be of the length A shown more clearly in FIG. 1 with the protruding threaded studs being quite subject to damage. However, if the hinge posts can be removed and wrapped separately and placed inside the package, thus protecting them from damage, the shipping container need only be of the length B. Thus my construction serves two purposes, i.e., the permitting of the adjustment of the hinge posts 22, 23 longitudinally of the hinge bar 1-: to accommodate commodes having the holes 5 and 6 thereof spaced at varying distances and the ready removal of the hinge posts from the ends of the assembly to accommodate the shipping of the assembly Within a much smaller container than would normally be required and in a manner not subjecting the parts to damage in transit.

As seen more clearly in PEG. 3, each hinge post is provided with a top flange or head 29 having the threaded stud 24 projecting therefrom. in order firmly to secure the assembly to the commode, I provide my special nuts 26 illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 7 and 8 which may be of the same molded plastic material as the other elements of my assembly. Such nut 26 is interiorly threaded as shown at 36 and is of a slightly frustoconical shape having four equally peripherally spaced ribs 31 about the exterior facilitating the gripping thereof. The larger end of the nut terminates in a dished flange 32. Thus my one piece flanged lock nuts are provided with resilient flanges for self-locking and firm engagement with the bottom of the top flange 4 of the commode. Accordingly, irrespective of a warped or wavy undersurface, the not will firmly uniformly engage the surface about the stud opening in the commode. Moreover, the dish shape of the flange will provide a vacuum seal between the stud and the commode. It can readily be seen that my particular nut eliminates the need for the usual metal nuts, metal washers and rubber washers employed when fastening metal studs to the easily damaged porcelainized commode.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the seat knuckle for my seat and lid assembly has an oifset leaf portion 33 having two screw holes 34 and 35 therein which may be countersunk as shown more clearly in FIG. 5 at 36. The seat knuckle is also provided with a through-bore 37 which may be of the same diameter :as the through-bore 28 in the hinge post 22.. Thus when the seat knuckle is dis-assembled from the seat, it may readily he slipped outwardly of the hinge bar 14 to disassemble my construction. Between the leaf 33 and the through-bore, I provide a boss 33 which will project below the axis of the hinge bar 14 the same distance as the bottom surface of the head 29 of the hinge post 22. This boss 38 will also project below the bottom surface of the seat '7 substantially the same distance as the supports 39 (FIG. 1) at the forward part of the seat 7. In this manner, the seat 7 will firmly be supported on the top of the commode at four spaced points and this will, of course, relieve the shearing stresses or strain on the hinge bar 14 which would otherwise have to support the weight on the seat through the hinge posts on the ends thereof. This construction will, of course, also relieve any structural stresses on the seat itself.

As seen more particularly in FIG. 6, the lid knuckle 10 is also provided with a through-bore 40 which may be of the same diameter substantially as the throughbores 28 and 37 in the hinge post and seat knuckle respectively. The leaf 41 of the lid knuclde is offset upwardly and provided with a top planar surface 32 to which the bottom of the lid 8 is secured. Such leaf portion 41 may be the same planar shape as the leaf 33 of the seat knuckle shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and is provided with two countersunk screw holes 43 to facilitate the fastening of the lid knuckle to the lid 8 by the screws 21. Supports 44 on the underside of the front of the lid will serve to space the lid from the seat and maintain the same generally parallel to the seat '7.

It can now be seen that I have provided a toilet seat and lid assembly which can be shipped in a carton considerably reduced in size without damage to the parts as the result of the ability readily to remove the hinge posts from the ends of the hinge bar. Further, with this construction, the shouldered hinge bar cannot drop out during shipment. Moreover, this construction permits the axial adjustment of the hinge posts with respect to the hinge bar to accommodate varying distances between the mounting openings in commodes. With the special construction employing the boss support 38, it is possible to produce all of the parts of my hinge assembly very quickly and cheaply from a moldable plastic material. Moreover, the use of such material for the nuts 26 reduces substantially the number and types of parts that need be employed readily to secure the seat and lid assembly to the commode. It will be understood that the parts may be colored in any manner desired and the use of this moi ed plastic material readily facilitates this coloring.

Other modes of applying the principles of the inven tion may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a commode having two vertical openings therein, a seat and lid assembly secured to such commode through such openings; said assembly comprising a hinge bar having an enlarged central portion forming two outwardly facing shoulders and reduced diameter end portions, seat knuckles having througl1-bores therein fitted over said reduced diameter end portions adjacent said shoulders and secured to the underside of said seat, lid knuckles having through-bores therein fitted over said reduced diameter end portions adjacent said seat knuckles and secured to the underside of said lid, hinge posts having bores therein fitted on the ends of said hinge bar, said posts having threaded studs fitting through such openings; and lock nuts on said studs securing the seat and lid assembly to such commode, the bores in said hin e posts being sufficiently large to permit ready removal of said hinge posts from said hinge bar and to permit adjustment of said hinge posts axially of said hinge bar to accommodate such assembly to commodes wherein the distance between such openings may vary.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein saic seat knuckles, lid knuckles, hinge posts and lock nuts are made from a moldable plastic material.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein saic seat knuckles are each provided with commode engaging bosses better to carry any Weight on such seat and to re lieve shearing stresses on said hinge bar, seat knuckles and hinge posts.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein S8.l( lock nuts are provided with a deformable commode en gaging flange to accommodate uneven surfaces on sucl commode.

5. A seat and lid assembly adapted to be mounted oi the top of a commode comprising a hinge bar having an enlarged central portion forming two outwardly facin; shoulders and reduced diameter end portions, seat Hill lid knuckles having through-bores therein fitted over each said reduced diameter end portion adjacent said shoulders and secured to said seat and lid respectively, said seat and lid thus being fastened together by said hinge bar and said hinge bar thus being held against removal from said seat and lid knuckles, and hinge posts having bores therein adjustably slidably fitting on the respective ends of said hinge bar, said hinge posts being thus readily removable from said hinge bar and having threaded studs by which said assembly may be mounted on such commode.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 1,875,930 Martin Sept. 6, 1932 1,883,406 Ronning Oct. 18, 1932 2,060,852 Campbell Nov. 17, 1936 2,177,919 Vogt Oct. 31, 1939 2,366,762 Watson Jan. 9, 1945 2,452,204 McCormick Oct. 26, 1948 2,734,547 Hotehkin Feb. 14, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 810,234 Great Britain Mar. 11, 1959 OTHER REFERENCES Bemis Advertisement Domestic Engineering, September 1959, page 41. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A COMMODE HAVING TWO VERTICAL OPENINGS THEREIN, A SEAT AND LID ASSEMBLY SECURED TO SUCH COMMODE THROUGH SUCH OPENINGS; SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HINGE BAR HAVING AN ENLARGED CENTRAL PORTION FORMING TWO OUTWARDLY FACING SHOULDERS AND REDUCED DIAMETER END PORTIONS, SEAT KNUCKLES HAVING THROUGH-BORES THEREIN FITTED OVER SAID REDUCED DIAMETER END PORTIONS ADJACENT SAID SHOULDERS AND SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID SEAT, LID KNUCKLES HAVING THROUGH-BORES THEREIN FITTED OVER SAID REDUCED DIAMETER END PORTIONS ADJACENT SAID SEAT KNUCKLES AND SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID LID, HINGE POSTS HAVING BORES THEREIN FITTED ON THE ENDS OF SAID HINGE BAR, SAID 